MURIEL'S WEDDING

Written and Directed by PJ Hogan

Starring Toni Collette · Bill Hunter · Rachel Griffiths

The film, MURIEL'S WEDDING, is my life story. I, like Muriel, was psychologically battered (well...not really); I, like Muriel, was a fat teenager (well...not really); I, like Muriel, moved to a city after embezzling money (well...not really). OK, so maybe it's not my life story but it could've been - especially considering Muriel's and my own obsession with the Swedish pop group, ABBA; our ABBAnaticism, as it were.

The story centers around Muriel's search for acceptance in a world where the only joy she finds is in listening to the songs of ABBA. She believes she will find this acceptance only through her ultimate wedding. I won't go much further into the story but, suffice it to say...I laughed; I cried; it became a part of me.

The legend goes that PJ Hogan might not have made the film had he not been able to use the music of ABBA. He wrote and called Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus incessantly, to no avail. The two were adamant that their music would not be used. Ultimately, Mr. Hogan flew to Sweden with a script to plead his case, acting out the story in front of them and managed to change their minds. (Thank god for small favors!)

The use of ABBA as a motif in MURIEL'S WEDDING is a very positive one. In fact, there is a wonderful scene where Muriel (Toni Collette) and Rhonda (Rachel Griffiths), dressed as Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-frid Lyngstad, perform a lip-synced version of Waterloo. Collette's acting in this scene just tears me apart. In fact, Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths won the Australian Academy Award for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. The film also won for Best Picture. Collette was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in A Musical/Comedy. Look for the video to be released on March 12.